Former state Senator Martha Escutia calls for LAUSD probe into perceived pattern of teacher abuse of Latino youth

In the wake of yet another sex abuse arrest in the Los Angeles Unified School District, former state Sen. Martha Escutia came to a Wilmington elementary school Monday to call for an LAUSD investigation into what she believes is a pattern of such abuse against Latino youth by teachers in low-income areas.

Escutia, an attorney who serves on the legal team representing more than 30 children allegedly abused by teachers at Miramonte Elementary School in South Los Angeles, blasted the district for refusing to turn over documents pertaining to 600 complaints about teacher misconduct.

She likened the LAUSD's reaction to the abuse cases to that of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, which kept its sensitive documents sealed until ordered by a judge to release them.

"I don't think LAUSD wants to become the next Archdiocese of Los Angeles," she said.

Escutia's comments come several days after law enforcement officials announced the arrest of former LAUSD teacher Robert Pimentel on charges he sexually abused at least 20 children at George De La Torre Jr. Elementary School in Wilmington, where Escutia held her press conference.

In that case, the school's principal at the time took no action when similar allegations were leveled against the same teacher at another school, according to LAUSD Superintendent John Deasy. Pimentel and the principal, Irene Hinojosa, both retired on the same day as Deasy was moving to fire them, he told the Los Angeles News Group, which includes the Daily Breeze.

Despite Deasy's comments on the latest case, Escutia accused LAUSD officials of being generally tight-lipped on the matter.

"We wouldn't even be here having this press conference if LAUSD would speak up," she said. "Their silence has frankly been deafening."

LAUSD responded to her complaints with a statement Monday detailing the efforts it has made to crack down on abusive teachers since the Miramonte scandal erupted nearly a year ago.

"We are consistently working to strengthen student safety, including implementing numerous policy changes and supporting meaningful statewide legislative reforms," said David Holmquist, general counsel for the school district.

Holmquist said the district is working with state Sen. Alex Padilla, a San Fernando Valley Democrat, on a bill that would speed the process of firing teachers accused of serious misconduct.

He also cited reforms that have already occurred within the district, such as a new policy mandating that parents be notified within 72 hours of any misconduct allegations at a school where their children attend.

The Miramonte Elementary scandal erupted a year ago, when police arrested teacher Mark Berndt at his Torrance residence on suspicion of lewd acts, such as taking photos of kids eating spoonfuls of his semen.

In addition to the scandals at Miramonte and George De La Torre, similar allegations of sexual abuse have surfaced at other campuses in poor neighborhoods populated mainly by Latino families, Escutia said. She cited the recent sentencing of Paul Chapel, a former third-grade teacher at Telfair Elementary in Pacoima who molested 13 students.

Escutia said she doesn't know for certain that a pattern of sexual abuse in such schools exists, largely because of what she characterized as the district's silence on the matter.

"You know what, let me tell you: If I am proven wrong, I will be the first one to have a press conference here to say, `I am wrong,"' she said.